US8967447B2 - Surgical instrument including firing indicator - Google Patents

Abstract

A surgical instrument including a loading unit and an indicator that provides an indication whether the loading unit has been used. The indicator provides an indication by transitioning from a first position to a second position that is viewable by a user to prevent inadvertent reloading of the loading unit after use.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to a surgical instrument including a disposable loading unit. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a surgical stapling device providing an indication that the surgical stapling device has been fired.

BACKGROUND

Surgical devices designed to grasp or clamp tissue between a pair of opposing jaws and then joining the tissue with surgical fasteners are well known in the art. In some instruments, a knife is provided to cut the tissue which has been joined by the fasteners. The fasteners are typically in the form of surgical staples, but two part fasteners formed of a material suitable for surgical use can also be used.

Such instruments may include two elongated members adapted to capture or clamp tissue therebetween. Typically, one of the members carries a staple cartridge that houses a plurality of staples arranged in at least two lateral rows while the other member has an anvil defining a surface for forming the staple legs as the staples are driven from the staple cartridge. In some instruments, the closure of the two elongated members, or tool assembly, is effected by the actuation of a movable handle that moves a drive beam having a closure apparatus thereon into a contact surface of a tool assembly thereby actuating the tool assembly. A knife can travel between rows of staples to longitudinally cut and/or open the stapled tissue between the rows of staples.

In laparoscopic and/or endoscopic surgical procedures, the surgical procedure is performed through a small incision or through a narrow cannula inserted through a small entrance wound in a patient. In conventional or open procedures, surgeons directly access an operative site. Because of reduced patient trauma, shortened patient recovery periods and reduced cost, endoscopic procedures are preferred over open surgical procedures.

Articulatable endoscopic stapling instruments including disposable loading units (“DLUs”) or singlye use loading units (“SULUs”) are known in the art. These instruments have provided significant clinical benefits to the field of endoscopic surgery. Nonethereless, there is a continuing need for surgical devices in this area.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to a surgical instrument including a cartridge assembly. The surgical instrument is usable during many surgical procedures including minimally invasive surgical procedures. The cartridge assembly includes a plurality of fasteners that are ejectable from the cartridge. An indicator assembly provides an indication as to whether the cartridge has been used or not. In an embodiment, the indicator assembly includes an indicator pin that is transitionable from a first position to a second position after ejection of the fasteners, thereby providing visual indication that the fasteners have been ejected from the cartridge. The indicator pin may be inhibited from transitioning from the second position to the first position to inihibit inadvertent reloading of a spent cartridge.

When the indicator pin is in the first position, the indicator pin is substantially flush with a surface of the cartridge. In the second position, the indicator pin extends past the surface of the cartridge, i.e., the indicator pin is not substantially flush with the surface of the cartridge. An actuation sled may distally translate through the cartridge, thereby causing ejection of the fasteners contained therein. The indicator pin may be positioned within a longitudinally extending aperture defined within the distal end of the cartridge. As the actuation sled is translated distally, the actuation sled will abut the indicator pin and force the indicator pin to translate distally, thereby transitioning the indicator pin to the second position to indicate that the fasteners have been ejected from the cartridge.

The indicator assembly may include an assembly that inhibits premature transitioning of the indicator to the second position. For example, the indicator assembly may include a ring that is positioned within an aperture formed in the distal end of the cartridge. The ring is disposed around the indicator pin and releasably locks the indicator pin within the aperture. One or more frangible fingers may couple the indicator pin to the ring by breaking only in response to force resulting from the actuation sled of the drive assembly distally translating through the cartridge and pressing against a proximal end of the indicator pin, thereby allowing the indicator pin to translate distally.

Once the indicator pin has been translated distally, the indicator pin remains extended. The longitudinally extending aperture in which the indicator pin is positioned may narrow toward the distal end of the cartridge, thereby creating an interference fit between the indicator pin and the longitudinally extending aperture, thereby frictionally securing the indicator pin in the extended position.

A method of performing a surgical procedure includes providing a surgical instrument including a cartridge, such as that described above. The indicator pin is operatively coupled to the tool assembly such that after actuation of the surgical instrument, a user is readily notified that the cartridge has been spent. During use, tissue that is to be fastened is placed between the anvil and the cartridge, and the surgical instrument is actuated. Once the surgical instrument is actuated, the indicator assembly transitions to a second position to provide visual indication that the surgical instrument has been fired. Because the indicator pin extends a distance from one of the cartridge or the anvil, the indicator pin is viewable from multiple orientations, thereby readily providing notification to the user that the cartridge has been spent.

The various aspects of the present disclosure will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the presently disclosed surgical instrument are disclosed herein with reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a surgical instrument including a body portion and a disposable loading unit (“DLU”) including a tool assembly;

FIG. 1A is a side perspective view of the surgical instrument ofFIG. 1 with the DLU separated from the body portion;

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the distal end of DLU ofFIG. 1 with parts separated;

FIG. 3A is a side perspective view of the DLU ofFIG. 1 shown in a first position;

FIG. 3B is the DLU ofFIG. 3A shown in a second position;

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the tool assembly ofFIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of the distal end of the tool assembly ofFIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the presently disclosed surgical instrument will now be described in detail with reference to the appended figures, in which like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements in each of the several views. In the following description, well known functions or constructions are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure in unnecessary detail. As shown in the drawings and as described throughout the following description, and as is traditional when referring to relative positioning on an object, the term proximal refers to the end of the device that is closer to the user and the term “distal” refers to the end of the apparatus that is further from the user.

A surgical instrument including a DLU including a cartridge having an indicator assembly to provide notification of the condition of the cartridge, i.e., whether the cartridge has been spent, will be described herein. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 1A, asurgical instrument500 includes ahandle portion510, abody portion512, and a disposable loading unit (“DLU”)16. Thehandle portion510 includes astationary handle514 and a movable handle ortrigger516. Themovable handle516 is movable in relation to thestationary handle514 to actuate thesurgical instrument500. As themovable handle516 and thestationary handle514 are moved closer to one another, acontrol rod520 is distally advanced from adistal end501 of thebody portion512. Thehandle portion510 and thebody portion512 may be constructed in the manner disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,330,965, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TheDLU16 includes atool assembly17, aproximal body portion200, and a mountingassembly202. As shown inFIG. 1A, thebody portion200 has aproximal end201 adapted to releasably engagedistal end501 of thesurgical instrument500. Although as shown inFIG. 1A, theDLU16 is separable from thebody portion512 of the surgical instrument, in other embodiments, the cartridge itself may be removed from a tool assembly and replaced with a new cartridge. Theproximal end201 of thebody portion200 is linearly inserted into anopen end522 of thebody portion512 of thesurgical instrument500. Actuation of theDLU16 is facilitated by translation ofcontrol rod520, which engages a proximal end of drive assembly212 (FIG. 2), thereby causing thedrive assembly212 to translate correspondingly.

Thetool assembly17 may pivot with respect to the longitudinal axis of thebody portion200. Mountingassembly202 is pivotably secured to a distal end of thebody portion200, and is fixedly secured to a proximal end oftool assembly17. Pivotal movement of the mountingassembly202 about an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis ofbody portion200 causes articulation oftool assembly17 between a non-articulated position in which the longitudinal axis oftool assembly17 is aligned with the longitudinal axis ofbody portion200 and an articulated position in which the longitudinal axis oftool assembly17 is disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis ofbody portion200.

An indicator assembly5 (FIGS. 3A and 3B) minimizes the potential of inadvertent reloading of theDLU16 after cartridge54 (FIG. 2) has been spent. As will be explained in greater detail below, at adistal end14 of theDLU16, anindicator pin10 is transitionable between a first position (FIG. 3A) and a second position (FIG. 3B) to indicate whether thecartridge54 has already been spent. Other embodiments of theindicator assembly5 are in accordance with the present disclosure. For example, although shown and described as including asingle indicator pin10, a greater number of such pins may be employed. Moreover, although shown and described as extending from the distal end of thecartridge54, theindicator pin10 may extend from other surfaces of thecartridge54 or alternatively fromanvil20. The length and extension of theindicator pin10 is configured and adapted to maximize the viewability of theindicator pin10 from multiple orientations.

Referring toFIG. 2, thetool assembly17 includes acartridge assembly18 and ananvil assembly20.Anvil assembly20 includes ananvil portion28 having a plurality of staple deforming concavities30 (FIG. 4) and acover plate32 secured to a top surface ofanvil portion28. Thecover plate32 and theanvil portion28 define a cavity34 (FIG. 4) therebetween which is dimensioned to receive a distal end ofdrive assembly212 to inhibit pinching of tissue during actuation ofDLU16. Alongitudinal slot38 extends throughanvil portion28 to facilitate passage of aretention flange40 ofdrive assembly212. Acamming surface42 formed onanvil portion28 is positioned to engage a pair ofcam members40asupported onretention flange40 ofdrive assembly212 to cause approximation of theanvil assembly20 and thecartridge assembly18. A pair of stabilizingmembers50 engage arespective shoulder52 formed oncarrier48 to inhibit theanvil portion28 from sliding axially in relation tostaple cartridge54 ascamming surface42 is pivoted aboutpivot members44.

Thecartridge assembly18 includescarrier48 defining anelongated support channel56, which is dimensioned and configured to receivestaple cartridge54. Correspondingtabs58 andslots60 formed alongstaple cartridge54 andelongated support channel56, respectively, function to retainstaple cartridge54 at a fixed location withinsupport channel56. A pair of support struts62 formed onstaple cartridge54 are positioned to rest on side walls ofcarrier48 to further stabilizestaple cartridge54 withinsupport channel56.Carrier48 hasslots46 for receivingpivot members44 ofanvil portion28 and allowinganvil portion28 to move between spaced and approximated positions.

Staple cartridge54 includes retention slots64 (FIG. 2) for receiving a plurality of staples orfasteners66 andpushers68. A plurality of laterally spaced apartlongitudinal slots70 extend throughstaple cartridge54 to accommodateupstanding cam wedges72 of an actuation sled74 (FIG. 2), which is operatively coupled to thedrive assembly212. A centrallongitudinal slot76 extends along substantially the length ofstaple cartridge54 to facilitate passage of a knife blade78 (FIG. 4). During operation,drive assembly212 abutsactuation sled74 and pushesactuation sled74 throughlongitudinal slots70 ofstaple cartridge54 to advancecam wedges72 into sequential contact withpushers68.Pushers68 translate vertically alongcam wedges72 withinfastener retention slots64 andurge fasteners66 fromretention slots64 into thestaple deforming concavities30 ofanvil assembly20.

As shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, theindicator pin10 is positioned within achannel11 that extends throughdistal end14 of thestaple cartridge54. Thechannel11 may narrow toward thedistal end14 of thestaple cartridge54 such that distal translation of theindicator pin10 through thechannel11 will frictionally secure theindicator pin10 within the channel, thereby inhibiting proximal translation of theindicator pin10 back through thechannel11 once theindicator pin10 has been fully translated through thechannel11. Theindicator pin10 may be releasably locked within aring13. One or morefrangible fingers12 may operatively couple theindicator pin10 to thering13. As theactuation sled74 translates through thestaple cartridge54, the force of theactuation sled74 abutting theproximal end10aof theindicator pin10 will break thefrangible fingers12, thereby permitting distal translation of theindicator pin11 through thechannel11.

During use of thesurgical instrument500, a surgeon will place tissue (not shown) that is to be stapled between theanvil assembly20 and thecartridge assembly18 to join tissue therebetween. As thesurgical instrument500 is fired, theindicator assembly5 transitions to a position indicating thatsurgical instrument500 has been fired and thecartridge54 has been spent. As discussed above, theindicator pin10 extends from a surface and is readily viewable from multiple orientations. Thesurgical instrument500 is removed from the surgical site, and if necessary, theDLU16 is replaced with aDLU16 including acartridge54 that is in a condition to be fired.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made to the embodiments disclosed herein. Although the indicator assembly is shown being used with a surgical stapling device, the indicator assembly may be incorporated into any surgical device having a cartridge. The indicator assembly will provide notification that the cartridge has been spent, thereby alerting a user to provide a fresh cartridge. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of various embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the claims appended hereto.

Claims (10)

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical instrument comprising:

a body portion;

a loading unit operatively coupled to the body portion, the loading unit including a cartridge having a distal portion, the cartridge housing a plurality of fasteners;

a longitudinally extending aperture defined within the distal portion;

a drive assembly configured to translate through the cartridge to eject the plurality of fasteners from the cartridge; and

an indicator assembly transitionable from a first position to a second position after ejection of the plurality of fasteners, the indicator assembly including:

an indicator pin translatable through the longitudinally extending aperture, the indicator pin being substantially flush with a surface of the cartridge when the indicator assembly is in the first position, and extending past the surface of the cartridge when the indicator assembly is in the second position,

a ring positioned within the longitudinally extending aperture and disposed around the indicator pin, and

at least one frangible finger joining the indicator pin and the ring, the at least one frangible finger inhibiting transitioning of the indicator pin from the first to the second position prior to actuation of the surgical instrument, the at least one frangible finger breaking in response to actuation of the surgical instrument.

2. The surgical instrument ofclaim 1, wherein the indicator assembly is frictionally inhibited from transitioning from the second position to the first position.

3. The surgical instrument ofclaim 2, wherein the indicator pin is frictionally inhibited from transitioning from the second position to the first position.

4. The surgical instrument ofclaim 1, wherein distal translation of the drive assembly causes the indicator assembly to transition to the second position.

5. The surgical instrument ofclaim 4, wherein actuation of the surgical instrument translates the indicator pin from the first position to the second position.

6. The surgical instrument ofclaim 5, wherein translation of the indicator pin from the first position to the second position breaks the at least one frangible finger.

7. The surgical instrument ofclaim 1, wherein the longitudinally extending aperture narrows from a proximal end to a distal end of the longitudinally extending aperture.

8. The surgical instrument ofclaim 7, wherein distal translation of the indicator pin through the longitudinally extending aperture frictionally secures the indicator pin within the longitudinally extending aperture, thereby inhibiting proximal translation of the indicator pin back through the longitudinally extending aperture.

9. The surgical instrument ofclaim 1, wherein the loading unit is separable from the body portion.

10. A method of performing a surgical procedure comprising:

providing a surgical instrument including:

a body portion;

a loading unit operatively coupled to the body portion, the loading unit including a cartridge with a distal portion, the cartridge housing a plurality of fasteners, and an anvil movable relative to the cartridge;

a longitudinally extending aperture defined within the distal portion;

a drive assembly translatable through the cartridge to eject the plurality of fasteners from the cartridge; and

an indicator assembly transitionable from a first position to a second position after ejection of the plurality of fasteners, the indicator assembly including:

an indicator pin translatable through the longitudinally extending aperture, the indicator pin being substantially flush with a surface of the cartridge when the indicator assembly is in the first position, and extending past the surface of the cartridge when the indicator assembly is in the second position,

a ring positioned within the longitudinally extending aperture and disposed around the indicator pin, and

at least one frangible finger joining the indicator pin and the ring, the at least one frangible finger inhibiting transitioning of the indicator pin from the first to the second position prior to actuation of the surgical instrument, the at least one frangible finger breaking in response to actuation of the surgical instrument;

placing tissue between the cartridge and the anvil;

actuating the surgical instrument to fasten the tissue placed between the cartridge and the anvil;

observing the indicator assembly in the second position; and

separating the loading unit from the surgical instrument.

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